chapter 3- Faculty Associate Handbook, ISU

Teachers in the Laboratory Schools of Illinois State University are designated by the title Faculty Associate. Other employees who serve in the Laboratory Schools include administrative-professionals, civil service, University faculty, and graduate assistants.

The role of Faculty Associates is defined by the four-part mission of the Laboratory Schools: Teacher education, research, teaching, and service to the profession.

I. Teacher Education

The Laboratory Schools serve as the primary placement site for clinical experiences in which excellence in educational theory and practice can be observed, studied, and experienced by teacher education candidates. University students are required to complete 100 hours of clinical experiences before student teaching. The faculty of the Laboratory Schools work closely with faculty from a variety of University departments to blend professional theory and applied instructional practice. The schools also provide a laboratory for selective introduction of innovative and alternative techniques and methods. Laboratory School faculty contribute to clinical experiences in the following ways:

A. Clinical participation — providing opportunities for pre-service teacher involvement in specific skill demonstrations under controlled circumstances;

B. General participation — providing supervised participation for pre-service teachers in any instructional phase of the school program and/or small group tutorial functions, including one-to-one experiences;

C. Directed observation — facilitating the examination of the instructional setting by pre-service teachers with specified intentions, using systematic recording to identify relationships relevant to student learning;

D. Demonstration — modeling by Laboratory School faculty of particular teaching styles, techniques, organizational grouping patterns, and appropriate management roles;
E. Curriculum development — maintaining innovative and exemplary programs, thereby acting as a dissemination model for pre-service teachers; and,

F. Student teaching — providing for student teaching under the direct supervision of a certified practicing clinician, fulfilling all State and University requirements and guidelines.

Building coordinators assist with the placement of students at both University High School and Thomas Metcalf School and are available to respond to questions related to clinical experiences.

II. Research

Faculty Associates are encouraged to facilitate research projects from various academic departments at Illinois State University and to conduct their own research on classroom activities and practices.

Research activities of the greatest potential for the Laboratory Schools are those which can be readily coordinated with the primary goals of (1) providing experiences in support of training educational personnel and (2) improving the quality of curriculum and instruction. Research and developmental activities in the Laboratory Schools should result in investigations such as:

A. Studies directly related to the training of education personnel (the teacher training processes, characteristics of excellence in teaching);

B. Studies investigating general instructional processes (curriculum and materials testing, delineation of stages of learning, comparisons of instructional methods);

C. Studies of the efficacy of selected aspects of the school program (comparisons of special and regular teachers at various levels, teacher ability to use "packaged" materials, the advantages of specific methods of grouping for instructional purposes); and,

D. Studies of the characteristics of the learner (cultural influences, motivation, maturation, self-concept acquisition).

Procedures for making an application for research in the Laboratory Schools are outlined in Appendix A.

III. Teaching

Recognizing a moral and ethical responsibility to the students who attend the Laboratory Schools, the Laboratory Schools accept a third obligation, that of assuring a comprehensive, high quality academic program for the students enrolled. Since quality programs result from effective teaching, a set of core expectations has been defined for all Faculty Associates:

A. Classroom planning and instruction

B. Assessment of student learning

C. Communication and interpersonal skills

D. Support for Laboratory School mission

IV. Service to the Profession

The Laboratory Schools faculty shall contribute to the effectiveness and quality of education throughout their profession by providing the following services to practicing educators:

A. Guest lectures and presentations — providing information and instruction on the use and implementation of specific educational techniques and programs;

B. Consultation services — providing expert information to practicing educators in the development, evaluation, or implementation of educational programs or techniques;

C. Direct observations — providing practicing educators the opportunity to directly observe faculty utilizing effective educational methods in the Laboratory Schools;

D. Publications — providing articles for publication in professional journals concerning effective educational programs and techniques.

V. Code of Ethics for Faculty Associates

A. Preamble (NEA Handbook, 1977-78)

The educator, believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of democratic principles. Essential to these goals is the protection of freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal educational opportunity for all. The educator accepts the responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards.

The educator recognizes the magnitude of the responsibility inherent in the teaching process. The desire for the respect and confidence of one’s colleagues, of students, of parents, and of the members of the community provides the incentive to attain and maintain the highest possible degree of ethical conduct. The Code of Ethics of the Education Profession indicates the aspiration of all educators and provides standards by which to judge conduct.

B. Standards of Professional Conduct
(Revised March 1, 2005)

Because faculty associates work with students ranging in age from preschool through graduate school, the term “student” applies to all age groups in the list of items that follows.

Teachers, as caretakers, should serve the learning, developmental, and social needs of students.
Teachers shall insure the equal and fair treatment of all students, by creating and maintaining a climate of acceptance within every classroom.
Teachers speak and act toward students with respect and dignity, and deal judiciously with them, always mindful of their rights and sensibilities.
Teachers shall not disclose information about students obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law.
Teachers recognize the privileged relationship that exists between students and teachers and therefore refrain from exploiting that relationship for material, ideological, or other advantage.
Teachers have an ethical obligation to refrain from establishing and/or maintaining personal, consensual relationships that constitute conflicts of interest (see University Policy 3.1.44).
Teachers shall provide students with a fair and honest statement of the scope and perspective of their courses, clear expectations for student performance, and fair, timely, and easily accessible evaluations of their work.
Teachers are willing to review the quality of instructional services provided to students with colleagues, students, and parents.
Teachers actively strive to understand the diverse backgrounds of students by gaining knowledge, personal awareness, and developing sensitivity and skills pertinent to working with a diverse student population.
Teachers respect the confidences of colleagues and parents that are shared in the course of their professional relationships.
Teachers consult, associate, and collaborate with colleagues and other professionals in the community in order to protect students from conditions harmful to learning or to health and safety.
Teachers recognize that professional problems and conflicts often interfere with professional effectiveness. While recognizing the right to respectfully disagree, teachers should take steps to insure that these conflicts do not produce deleterious results for students, colleagues and employees.
Teachers cooperate with colleagues and respect one another as professional educators. Every teacher is respected for the unique contributions he or she makes to the school.
Teachers assume responsibility for self-improvement and professional growth. They attain professional goals in an ethical manner.
Teachers do not file or encourage the filing of ethics or other complaints that they know, or reasonably should know, are frivolous.

Next Chapter